Medical lasers have been used in treatment procedures in a variety of practice areas including, for example, urology, neurology, otorhinolaryngology, general anesthetic ophthalmology, dentistry, gastroenterology, cardiology, gynecology, and thoracic and orthopedic procedures. Generally, these procedures require precisely controlled delivery of energy. Due to the location of target tissue deep within the body, a medical procedure generally requires use of a flexible and maneuverable optical fiber. Depending upon the requirements for a light source, a variety of light sources can be used in conjunction with the optical fiber including, for example, pulsed lasers, diode lasers and neodymium lasers. Representative lasers used in medical treatment procedures include Ho:YAG lasers and Nd:YAG lasers.
Generally, in the treatment of body tissue with laser energy, a surgical probe is utilized. The surgical probe typically comprises an optical fiber coupled to a laser source wherein the probe can be positioned so that a probe tip can be positioned adjacent to the targeted tissue. Laser energy is directed out of the tip of the optical fiber onto desired portions of the targeted tissue. The laser optical fiber is coupled to the laser source through the fiber connector. When the laser optical fiber is not connected to the laser unit, generally a removable dust plug is used to cover the aperture in the fiber connector that is otherwise adapted to receive the proximate end of the optical fiber. When the optical fiber is connected to the laser unit through the fiber connector, the dust plug is removed and stored. Upon completion of the usage of the laser unit, the dust plug is replaced on the fiber connector. However, because the dust plug is removable, the plugs are often lost or users simply forget to re-install the dust plug after removing the optical fiber from the fiber connector.
Hence, there remains a need for a protective mechanism such that the fiber coupler does not remain open and exposed to dust when the optical fiber is not connected to the laser unit through the fiber coupler.